Where beer geeks get offended. Welcome to the world of beer as viewed by the founder of the New Albanian Brewing Company in New Albany, Indiana, who reminds you that beer is far too important to be left to Rate Advocate.

Friday, March 30, 2007

It seems like weeks, and yet my rotator cuff surgery was just 72 hours ago. Post-operative complications would seem to have been averted, and according to Dr. Moskal’s physical therapy team, I’m ahead of schedule on rehab and feeling good.

Time for a beer?

Alas, no, as alcohol doesn’t complement high-potency pain killers of the sort that I might have sold on the street to finance travel plans later in 2007. For the moment, there’ll be contentment in thinking about beer, and plotting the identity of the perfect first pint back.

As a “final fling” of sorts last Sunday, I drove to Bluegrass Brewing Company on Shelbyville Road in Louisville and scored carry-out orders of chicken wings and American Pale Ale.

While I enjoy most of BBC brewer Jerry Gnagy’s beers, it remains my view that of all the classic BBC styles brewed at the original brewpub before and after the company’s split into two entities, the APA hasn’t fared very well in St. Matthews – especially when compared to founding brewer Dave Pierce’s version downtown.

Having reiterated that, the APA on Sunday was quite good, and all in all, it was a pleasant buzz of nostalgia for the palate and the other senses. The place itself was hopping, which caused me to reflect on the way that something entirely new not so long ago has become an institution – and at any of the Louisville area’s five breweries, not just BBC.

Wednesday, March 28, 2007

Here's the current archive for my 300-word mini-columns in the Louisville Eccentric Observer (LEO). The next four have been submitted: April 4's topic is the anniversary of the repeal of Prohibition; April 18 (pre-Thunder Over Louisville) contrasts the clamor of Thunder with the bygone, quiet tact of Kentucky Kommon beer; and May 2 (pre-Derby) offers a consideration of Louisville's five fine breweries.

Tuesday, March 27, 2007

Even the most rigid temperance fanatic would not fail to be impressed by the gleaming, copper-clad grandeur of the Browning’s Brewery three-story brewhouse, truly a building within a building that towers over the bar at 401 E. Main in Louisville. The brewpub, named for a 19th-century baseball star, occupies retail space in front Louisville Slugger Field, the city’s minor league ballpark.

Appearances aside, brewmaster Brian Reymiller provides a solid roster of house ales and lagers, and to prove it to you, he’ll be venturing to the Sunny Side this week for another in a series of beer events hosted by Keg Liquors (617 Lewis & Clark Parkway, Clarksville). The tasting is scheduled for Thursday, March 29 from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.

Brian recently commenced small scale bottling in 22-oz “bombers,” which are being distributed in Southern Indiana by North Vernon Beverage Company. His Barleywine and Imperial Bourbon Barrel Stout both will be featured at the Keg Liquors tasting, along with Louis the XVI Guillotine ESB, Fleur de Lis IPA and She-Devil Imperial IPA, the latter three on draft.As is his custom, Todd Antz of Keg Liquors will be discounting bottles of Imperial Bourbon Barrel Stout on the night of the tasting.

Monday, March 26, 2007

As of Monday morning, March 26, 14 business days have been devoted to the Gravity Madness of Gravity Head 2007, and now 23 beers are gone. A few will return later as "encores," owing to multiple keg purchases. With three kegs still in transit, only one full "wave" of 15 listed selections remain to be brought on line.

With the weather unseasonably warm, and most of the barley wines yet to be tapped, expect consumption to slow. Be sure and read the following, and provide feedback if you have any thoughts on the matter:

Representatives of BarrelHouse and Cavalier Distributing Indiana, including BH brewer Rick DeBar, will be on hand with other BH beers for sampling (including Boss Cox Double Dark IPA) in conjunction with the FOSSILS homebrew club’s monthly meeting in Prost.

The Schlafly beer and brewing event in Prost has been rescheduled for Friday, April 27, when the St. Louis brewery’s owner, Tom Schlafly, will be on hand to discuss his memoir, "A New Religion in Mecca", and sign copies of the book. The Gravity Head listed keg of oak-aged barley wine will be kept for tapping on the 27th, and other of the brewery’s beers will be on hand, too.

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Now, on to the availability update.

As you can see, Gravity Head is going to last for quite some time. These kegs are in the bullpen – on site and ready for tapping:

Sunday, March 25, 2007

At the conclusion of Gravity Head 2007's third weekend, only one full "wave" of kegs remain on site to be tapped, with another three in transit.

That’s unusually fast by past standards, especially when one considers that these days we receive more multiple kegs of small capacity sizes, and more standard-sized half-barrels and 50-liter kegs overall.

It all adds up to more gravity beers being consumed more quickly by greater numbers of enthusiasts, but now that the weather is warming, consumption of these big beers will begin to slow. Perhaps it’s time for a reconsideration of the annual calendar.

Gravity Head originated on a lark in 1999, intended as an impromptu celebration of the completion of our project to install a walk-in cooler and 12 new draft lines. The first Gravity Head kicked off on April 29, but since few of beers poured in 1999 would pass muster as "gravity" beers today, warmer temperatures didn't seem to matter.

It was only later that Gravity Head became the law onto itself that so dominates the first quarter of each year, and although there have been exceptions borne of necessity, we’ve generally looked to early March as the best time to stage Gravity Head. It’s a crazy month by any consideration, with St. Patrick’s Day and the NCAA basketball tournament also drawing crowds, and the festive atmosphere generated by these events in concert with Gravity Head is much fun, and obviously good for business.

At some point, and joyfully, gravity began to spiral. It used to be that we’d have perhaps 20 to 30 kegs of listed Gravity Head beers, but now upwards of 60 are ordered, and more if multiples are counted. This had had the effect of extending Gravity Head’s springtime shelf life, to an extent that in 2006, with an earlier starting date in February, it took until late April for all the beers to be consumed.

Without initiating another global warming debate, it remains that warmer weather has been arriving earlier, and as noted above, warm weather has a slowing effect on gravity consumption -- that, and also the usual onset of gravity fatigue …

Combining all these factors, I’m considering moving Gravity Head 2008 – the 10th edition – forward two weeks into late February, as was the case in 2006 during co-owner Kate’s pregnancy. The move would have Gravity Head starting on Friday, February 29, 2008.

Saturday, March 24, 2007

Tennessean Jim Gore provides this account of his Gravity Head journey. I’m grateful to those who come from so far away to indulge in Gravity Madness – in addition to Jim and his gang, thus far in 2007 we’ve served visitors from Cleveland, Dayton and Cincinnati OH, Baltimore MD and North Carolina. It's always great to see all of you.

It always takes a while upon returning from Gravity Head to recover, reflect, and gain a point of reference that one trusts. While in the ecstatic throes of the proceedings, the brews come so fast and furious that they have a tendency to blur a bit at the point of contact. Couple this with a rather smallish pub crammed with interesting people and conversations that seem to ebb and flow as quickly as a kaleidescope, and it can all be a bit disorienting. That is why I have chosen to allow a couple of days of normalcy to separate the actual event from this modest recounting of it.

Two surviving structures from the Market Street/Buchheit brewery stand at the corner of 10th and East Market, roughly two hundred yards from my house. Had I known this four years ago, Mrs. Curmudgeon and I might just be renovating a historic building rather than occupying our current dwelling. Tremendous thanks to Ted for the research he's done, and the record of the past he's uncovered.

Tuesday, March 20, 2007

On numerous occasions I’ve confided to friends and pub patrons that coming up with a sequel to the legendary 2004 German-Czech beer tourism group trip has proven to be a chore. That’s because the 2004 trip was probably as close to perfection as any of us are likely to experience, and in addition, the years since have been filled with other challenges and commitments that have conspired to make a group trip difficult to schedule.

After much deliberation about the future of such endeavors, I’m pleased to announce that my mind’s made up. I’m planning two very different group beer trips for 2008, and you’re invited to attend.

The 2008 spring group excursion to the Pacific Northwest likely will include Seattle, Portland and Rogue Nation in Newport, Oregon. All I can say for sure is that it will take place in May, probably after the Kentucky Derby, which runs on May 3, 2008. The trip will last around 10 days. It is likely that the bulk of the group will be flying from Louisville, although participants are free to make their own arrangements subject to my being in the loop.

Once in Portland or Seattle, a chartered motorcoach will be waiting, and we’ll go from there. Of course, as many beer-related events and tours as possible will be scheduled, and there’ll be ample free time in the cities we visit for non-yeast-culture activities.

In September, 2008, the usual suspects from the beercycling gang will be organizing a bicycle-oriented beer hunting trip to Belgium and Netherlands. The core group will either take bikes or rent them in Amsterdam, which we’ll in all likelihood be using as arrival and departure point. The group will travel by train to the vicinity of the Poperinge hop festival (probably Ieper), and attend the parade on September 21, 2008. After a program in the area, we’ll ride over a period of eight or so days back to Haarlem, Netherlands (minutes from Amsterdam), where the trip will conclude.

We have precise biking maps of the entire area to be covered, and this beercycling trip will be completely planned and micromanaged to ensure that a pre-determined, specific distance is covered each day, with conclusion in a pre-booked hotel.

It is our aim to rent a vehicle to serve as sag wagon, and to carry luggage aboard the sag wagon, not in panniers has been the case on previous trips. Subject to interest and the size of the vehicle, there will be limited seating in the sag wagon for non-cycling participants – perhaps as many as three or four. In addition, given the proximity by rail of most of the sites we’ll be visiting, there is the possibility of meeting rail travelers at pre-arranged rendezvous points. I will assist interested parties in arranging their affairs, but will not actively supervise them.

As of this time, I’m interested in knowing who may be “in” for either of these planned excursions in 2008. There are no financial obligations. Write to the e-mail address in my blog profile, or leave word at the pub. Also, suggestions are appreciated.

It’s early, but preparations are starting. If you're new to this, know that my objective after organizing and arranging these trips is to pay my own way with a percentage of the proceeds, which is all above board and conducted through my side venture, Potable Curmudgeon, Inc. References from past travelers are available upon request.

Monday, March 19, 2007

(Updated Saturday, March 24 - note that the Schlafly event scheduled for Sat., March 24 is being postponed)

As of Monday morning, March 19, eight business days have been devoted to the Gravity Madness of Gravity Head 2007, and already 15 beers are gone. Counting multiple depletions of smaller sized kegs, that's roughly 19 units in all.

Here’s how the current lineup is looking after the first two weekends of Gravity Head 2007, but first, the errata and inevitable scratches as presently are known.

Here are the beers that already are scheduled to appear at specific times during Gravity Head 2007 (March and April):

POSTPONED - WILL BE RESCHEDULED FOR APRIL - THE KEG WILL BE HELD.Schlafly Reserve Oak-Aged Barley Wine 10.6% abvRepresentatives of Schlafly will be on hand with other of their beers for sampling in a yet-to-be-determined format.

Whoever came up with the idea of putting green food coloring in beer for St. Paddy's should be roundly reviled. (Note to Pope Benedict XVI: You're German. You know from good beer. Can't you issue an edict banning green brew? St. Patrick deserves some respect.)

Speaking of the Pope, and if I’m not mistaken, his favored beer reportedly is Bavarian Hefe-Weizen. Let’s hope there are no lemons, limes or kiwi fruit on the rim of the Holy Chalice.

As a postscript to St. Patrick's Day, and reaching into the mail bag, here’s what regular reader Jay had to say about a recent foray into uncivilized local beer drinking territory:

I stopped at Tumbleweed with some friends and we sat down and were ordering drinks. I pointed at the picture of bottles on the menu and asked if these were the beer list. The waiter said, "pretty much," so I asked about their draft list. He told me they were having a 99 cent special on their domestic drafts! I asked what was on -- Bud Light, Miller Lite and Killian’s. Oh, boy! I asked for a Killian’s. He said - "now you won't get that for 99 cents, that's just for the domestics." I said that is domestic. He said something that he just made up, but by that time I'd stopped listening anyway.

Of course, Killian's Irish Red is made by Coors and is not an import. I’ve never been able to determine why bar managers stand to benefit from ignorance, since providing accurate information is such a large part of all business in this day and age.

Saturday, March 17, 2007

Chef Clancy reports that the Bistro New Albany has added a nitro tap to the row, and now has Guinness Draft Stout. That's good news for downtown New Albany. I'll return to this space later tonight and provide a better report, seeing as (I believe) an investigative visit is in order.

Late note: Hmm, colcannon with rock shrimp and mussels, a prelude of bacon, potato and cabbage soup, Guinness, and the presence of Guinness pint champ Karl Scharrer made for an entertaining evening at the Bistro.

Thursday, March 15, 2007

In the grand tradition of undercapitalized small businesses, we’ve taken last weekend’s Gravity Madness earnings and ploughed some of them back into infrastructure, meaning that Sportstime patrons now have two new flat-screen televisions for March Madness basketball viewing.

Don’t look for this feat to be repeated in the Public House, which will remain sanctified, holy and boob-tube-free, although plans are afoot to enable audio-visual capability in the Prost special events and banquet room.

Saturday, March 17 is St. Patrick’s Day, and at NABC, along with Gravity Head (weekend two) and NCAA basketball, it adds up to something we’re not entirely able to predict until it hits. But why quibble? My solution is to have genuinely good beer on hand.

As a reminder to the reality-impaired, wearing of the green is one thing, but drinking it is something else entirely, and not at all explicable. Ingesting green-tinted swill is tantamount to wearing a badge that reads, “I’m neither Irish nor particularly bright – scoff at me.”

Rest assured. I do.

Note also that the only green-colored beer available for St. Patrick’s Day will be bottled Berliner Weiss with fluorescent woodruff syrup. That won’t stop people from asking for the dyed variety. After all, we can’t all be clever.

If you’ve ever actually been to Ireland, you know that the accepted colors of Irish beer are black, red and gold, and in our traditionally minimalist fashion, we’ll be offering color-coded kegs of each (two Gravity Head listed selections, and one not) while shunning other, more egregious forms of non-Hibernian revelry. Here they are:

Bell's Expedition Stout (cask hand-pull; firkin; 11.5%)The oft-repeated adage holds that while the Arabs invented distillation, it took the Irish to perfect it. Don't get it? Think: “From perfume, to whisky.” In much the same fashion, Imperial Stout improves in almost hallucinogenic fashion upon the “dry” Irish model. Drawing it from a cask in the traditional manner is just icing on the cake.

High King of Ireland (Irish:Ard Rí na hÉireann) refers to legendary, pagan kings of Tara. It also refers tolater kings, who were, depending on the period, either the most powerful king oftheir day, or, in later times, exercised authority over most of Ireland.

Rogue Kell’s Irish Lager (circa 5%)In essence, a Harp Lager clone, but fuller-bodied, engagingly smooth and crisp, and coming from one of my favorite breweries in the world.

Wednesday, March 14, 2007

Beer takes center stage in the Louisville Eccentric Observer (LEO) today. First up is Robin Garr, who attended last week's Extreme Belgian beer dinner at the Bistro New Albany and reports on the pairings.

If you don’t think there’s any class distinction between wine and beer, you might consider whether you’ve even seen a drunk slouch into a bar and yell, “Wine me!” Beer, let’s face it, owns a downscale, blue-collar image that contrasts with wine’s perceived position as the drink the beautiful people sip.

But need this be so? In an age when artisanal brewpubs and microbreweries abound and the term “quality American beer” is no longer an oxymoron, it’s arguable that beer — fine, crafted beer made in a wide variety of styles — deserves as much connoisseurish attention as wine enthusiasts are accustomed to lavishing on their grape juice.

Also, Sara Havens takes a righteous stand against green beer even as elsewhere in the newspaper, regular advertisers like Fourth Street Live shamelessly tout algae-colored clueless lotion for the yokels to consume on St. Patrick's Day.

The Bar Belle: The tragedy that is green beer, by Sara Havens.Friends don’t let friends drink green beer. Seriously. Don’t do it. Don’t even think about it. If you have to, order a bottle … or a Guinness … or a Harp … to commemorate St. Patrick’s Day. Just don’t walk around with a goofy grin and a pint of syrupy green sludge that leaves stains all over your face. It looks like you just blew a leprechaun. Or had a threesome with Papa Smurf and Homer Simpson.

Tuesday, March 13, 2007

Publican's note: Bar none, this commentary on the St. Patrick's Day holiday, originally written by bartender Chris Halleron some years back for the “Hot Trub” e-newsletter, is the best I've ever read.

Permission to reprint has been provided by the author.

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Recently a friend asked if I was free to do something on the weekend of March (16-17), but I explained that asking a bartender to take those days off is like asking an accountant to blow off work on April 14. It is the busy season for bartenders, when we get to see all those cheapskate rookies who haven't spent a dime in the bar since they threw up in the corner on New Year's Eve but now decide to poke their heads out of their holes and celebrate the Feast of St. Patrick.

While most people celebrate St. Patrick's Day on March 17, where I come from it seems to last longer than Mardi Gras in N'Awlins (coincidentally, that's also taking place right now). Hoboken, New Jersey, where I tend bar, has its parade the first Saturday of March every year, so as not to compete with the mega-parade across the Hudson in Manhattan on the actual St. Patrick's Day. Other communities in New Jersey spread their celebrations out in the interim, creating one thick fog of overindulgence week after week until finally the corned beef and cabbage comes out and everybody is too sick to eat it.

Normally I'd be all for such a celebration, but for the fact that somebody has to work these things-and once again that somebody is me. While I'm surely preaching to the choir with this column, I'd like to share some misconceptions and social faux pas regarding St. Patrick's Day that I've had the displeasure of observing over years:

· "Kiss Me I'm Irish" buttons will get you nowhere with the ladies.

· There is no "Official" Beer of St. Patrick's Day. Despite all its recent financial difficulties, the Catholic Church has yet to seek corporate sponsorship of its saints' feast days (though it may only be a matter of time…).

· The same goes for "Official" St. Patrick's Day Headquarters--as if that stinky dive down the street with the broken urinal would actually be the epicenter of the world's St. Patrick's Day celebration.

· Just because Mario's Bar and Grill has a shamrock in the window, it doesn't necessarily make it an Irish bar.

· In most circles, House of Pain's "Jump Around" is not considered traditional Irish music.

· Killian's Irish Red is made in Golden, Colorado, not Enniscorthy, Ireland.

· Killarney's is from St. Louis, Missouri, not Killarney, Ireland.

· The number-one selling lager in Ireland is Budweiser.

· Guinness is most certainly not a microbrewery (I can't make this stuff up--I swear I actually heard someone say that once).

· Asking a bartender to put a shamrock on the top of a well-poured Guinness is like asking Da Vinci to put a mustache on the Mona Lisa.

· Not only is the "Irish Car Bomb" (a pint glass half full of Guinness with a shot glass of Bailey’s and Jameson dropped in) an appalling name for a drink, the waste of Guinness and Jameson in some novelty shooter is nothing short of blasphemy. Save the “Boilermakers” for the Milwaukee’s Best and enjoy a quality beverage the way it's meant to be enjoyed.

· A pint of Guinness takes awhile to be poured properly--if you're in a hurry then order something else.

· Guinness in a plastic cup is a travesty, no matter how busy the bar is.

· The plural of Guinness is Guinness, not Guinnesses.

· More often than not, Irish people (by that, I mean people born and raised in Ireland) couldn't give a rat's arse what town your great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-grandfather left during the Potato Famine.

· There is no room for a discussion of Irish politics in a crowded bar.

· The Irish pastime of hurling is not what most people in this country think it means.

· No matter what you may have heard or read, a traditional Irish breakfast DOES NOT consist of a six-pack and a potato.

· No, I'd rather not wear a silly plastic green hat while I'm working, but thanks for the offer.

· There is no "siesta" napping on the bar for St. Patrick's Day--you have that confused with Cinco de Mayo, which is two months away.

· Just because the bar is open all day and all night doesn't necessarily mean you have to be there drinking the whole time.

· Just because you gave me a big tip doesn't give you carte blanche for being an @$$hole!!!

Despite all my bitches, gripes and complaints, I'm well aware that there's a lot of earning of the green that goes along with the wearing of the green. So it looks like I'll once again have to "Er-Grin 'n' Go Bear-it" as I look forward to the pot o' gold at the end o' me rainbow--the long, messy rainbow that it is.

In the meantime, may the road rise to meet the rest o' ye, and Sláinte--from the bitter bollocks behind the bar.

Monday, March 12, 2007

We don’t use the most sophisticated of POS software, but I can tell that on the opening weekend of Gravity Head 2007, there were something like 3,500 beers poured. The number is a bit higher if you add the ones sampled by the Publican, seeing as these are part of the compensation package and not charted – wouldn’t want the sawbones seeing that accumulation, would we?.

Here’s how the current lineup is looking after the opening weekend of Gravity Head 2007, but first, the errata and inevitable scratches as presently are known.

1. Kasteelbier Blonde/Tripel was ordered, invoiced and put into storage after delivery. Only when it was being readied for tapping Thursday did any of us notice that the Brown/Bruin had been shipped instead. Oops. The good news is that Gravity fans loved the Brown, so it turned out to be a good, if unintentional, move.

3. De Dolle Stille Nacht will not be coming, after all. It seems that an enterprising operator in the Big Apple snagged it while no one was looking. If possible, I’ll procure a keg later this year and age it until Gravity Head 2008 (10th anniversary edition).

The following beers are on tap now.The JW Lees is not a misprint. For the first time in memory, the 5-gallon pin lasted through the business day on Saturday, and will return to duty on Monday afternoon.

Here are the beers that already are scheduled to appear at specific times during Gravity Head 2007 (March and April):

Saturday, March 17:Bell's Expedition Stout (firkin) 11.5% abvUpland Ard-Ri Imperial Irish-style Red Ale 9% abvPlease note that a keg of Rogue Kell’s Irish Lager, a non-Gravity selection, will complete this color-coded homage to Irishness in beer styles. Note also that the only green-colored beer available for St. Patrick’s Day will be bottled Berliner Weiss with woodruff syrup. That won’t stop seemingly clever people from asking for it.

Saturday, April 7:BarrelHouse Belgian Style Winter Ale 8.25% abvRepresentatives of BarrelHouse will be on hand with other of their beers for sampling along with the FOSSILS homebrew club’s monthly meeting in Prost.

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Now, on to the availability update.As you can see, Gravity Head is going to last for quite some time. These kegs are in the bullpen – on site and ready for tapping:

Saturday, March 10, 2007

Once and for all, and for the record – I won’t be saying it again – it was not Dave Siltz’s idea last year to hold an event called DaveFest in his honor.

I am the Publican, the buck generally starts and stops with me, and DaveFest was my idea from the beginning. Dave graciously agreed to it, and the notion has been extended to include SteveFest in 2007.

Is that clear? Good.

The reason I bring it up again is that last evening, at the conclusion of a very long opening day of Gravity Head 2007, the very same Dave gave me a lift home, we stopped at White Castle along the way, and a better conclusion to an exhausting week than jalapeno cheeseburgers with a chocolate shake cannot be imagined. Better than steak, raw herring or couscous. Perhaps better even than the 4:00 a.m. shoarma at the Israeli place in Haarlem two weeks ago.

Big thanks to all the people who turned out on opening night. It’s always a fascinating dynamic to observe as the day wears on, with the earnestness of early beer critiques yielding gradually to predictable mayhem at evening’s end. I love it.

To be perfectly candid, I loved it a bit too much yesterday; even little nips of a lineup averaging 11% abv add up to a lot when all is said and done. That’s why my truck is parked at work, and it’s time to arrange a ride back and dive into it for a second day.

Friday, March 09, 2007

Gravity Head is NABC's annual celebration of the brewing world’s biggest and best. Beginning today, and lasting until all the kegs are gone, we’ll be devoting half our 34 taps to showcasing these rare and sought-after beers.

Because not all listed Gravity Head beers can be served at the same time, and the selection is in constant flux, see the blackboards for the daily selection. Note that the usual choices of NABC ales and guest drafts will be available during the festival for the non-gravity inclined.

At various times during the first two weeks of Gravity Head, there will be cask-conditioned gravity beers available from the hand-pull and/or the bar top. See the schedule here.

As always, solid second and even third waves of microbrewed and imported beers will come on tap as the ranks deplete. It’s the deepest Gravity Head ever, with 59 gravity beers in all waiting to be tapped, of which 19 will be appearing for the first time ever at Rich O’s (just two shy of the 2006 Gravity Head record total).

For those readers who are contemplating Gravity Head attendance for the first time, please be aware that we’re very serious when we command you to plan your life, arrange transportation from the venue at the conclusion of your gravity session, and/or have a designated driver. Typically, a cab ride to Louisville costs $30, which isn’t very much when split two or three ways … and it’s far less than the cost of the consequences.

Thursday, March 08, 2007

At the conclusion of the Gravity Head 2007 fan’s selection vote at 12:00 noon today, three beers were tied for the top spot, forcing the NABC’s impromptu “Elector Collage” into frenzied action, scouring the previously secret texts of the Freemasons and Illuminati for mystical procedures and ritualistic private dunkings of Krispy Kreme doughnuts in specially prepared vats of black coffe, and culminating in the decision to record the names on three sheets of weathered parchment, throwing them into the Senegalese skull cap once worn by bat patron Lee Cotner, and asking an unidentified Sportstime lunch customer to draw one out.

Both the above will be coming soon. The Avery has been queued behind Bell's Hopslam Double IPA (9.5% abv), and don’t forget that next Saturday (March 17), the firkin of Bell's Expedition Stout (11.5%) will be on tap for St. Patrick’s Day. Now I must return to my least favorite part of Gravity Head: Pricing. I’d like to give them away … but my accountant won’t let me.

Wednesday, March 07, 2007

Pictured above are more pours of draft Urthel Hop-It at one sitting than Louisville's ever seen, much less New Albany. They were among the ales and kindred spirit (and chef) Clancy's delectable cuisine at Monday's Extreme Belgian beer dinner at Bistro New Albany.

Apologies for not having the camera primed for capturing a view of rabbit, and note that barrel-conditioned, Belgian-style Scotch ale (Allagash Musette) does go very well with chocolate tart. Thanks to all in attendance, and next up is out projected "Best of Communism" May Day beer, wine and Tokaj dinner.

Monday, March 05, 2007

Jim Scott, a curious and intrepid traveler who also shared the Publican’s love of smoked beer, is dead at 58. We mourn his passing -- and celebrate the life of a kindred spirit.

Bob Reed, Jim’s longtime friend, relayed the news late Friday night. Naturally I was shocked, but only very briefly saddened, seeing as Jim had already defied the actuarial tables, and thoroughly enjoyed himself during the process of living far longer than he was supposed to have, and doing so in the Big Easy.

New Orleans suited Jim, but he almost didn’t survive Hurricane Katrina, finally being rescued in a state of severe dehydration after some days spent trapped in his condo. By then, he’d already been through enough.

As a victim of a degenerative muscular disease, Jim spent his adult life slowly wasting away. By the time I first met him in 1999, he was little more than skin and bones, with his eyesight diminished and his speech sometimes difficult to understand, but I soon learned that his mind was sharp and his observations worth hearing. There was no self-pity.

Jim’s condition restricted the range of his activities during those three of my group beer and brewery trips to Europe (1999, 2002 and 2004) that he joined, and yet probably no one got a bigger kick out of the overseas experience than he did. Even an unfortunate mugging in Krakow in 2002 left him unfazed, and I was far more outraged by it than Jim, who recognized that in life, things could, and did, happen. After all, it was only money.

There’ll be an empty seat on future excursions. Rest in peace, my friend.

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James Robert ""Jim'' Scott, 58 years old of Metairie, LA, died Friday, March 2, 2007 at his residence. He was born Monday, December 13, 1948 in Louisville KY. He worked as a adjudicator for the State of LA Unemployment Office. Surviving are brother, Brandon Scott of Tulsa OK.; 2 sisters: Jennie M. Pank of Greensburg IN. and Mary ""Missie'' White of Hammond, LA. Also survived by numerous nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by parents: Bernard Scott and Jennie Mitchell Scott; and sister, Josephine Scott. Friends will be received Monday, March 5, 2007 from 6:00 until 7:30 p.m. at the Harry McKneely & Son Funeral Home, Hammond, Louisiana. Sharing on Jim’s life will be from 7:30 until 8:00 p.m.

Sunday, March 04, 2007

Every slot in the 2007 Gravity Head starting lineup has been filled, save for one.

The 17th starter is a “fan selection,” to be chosen by you from the list provided below.

Vote for just one, and submit to your choice to me at this e-mail address before Noon on Thursday, March 8. Please vote just once per person. Be sure to take note of the status of each beer as reflected in the following lists. Some are starters, and others already are designated to appear on specific dates. Some are in-house and eligible for “fan selection” votes, while others remain in transit.

I expect roughly half of these to be in-house by Thursday, March 8, but because this cannot be conclusively determined until my greedy hands touch cold stainless steel, they are ineligible for the voting.

Saturday, March 03, 2007

It’s almost time again for our annual foray into the hysteria otherwise known as Gravity Head, and this year I’m far enough ahead of the game to note the following special events and noteworthy appearances that will occur on fixed dates during amok time.

Friday, March 9: Opening Night.As was the case in 2006, members of the FOSSILS and LAGERS homebrewing/beer appreciation clubs will enjoy preferred seating in our Prost banquet room beginning at 5:00 p.m. Cask-conditioned BBC Beer Company (Main & Clay) Dank IPA will be on the hand pull for opening night.

Saturday, March 10: Buckeye Convergence.Every year we look forward to the arrival of Pat’s and Larry’s Daytonians, who’ve been joined in the past by other Ohio delegations as well as FOSSILS and LAGERS members who never made it home the previous evening. Once again this year, Prost will be their gathering spot. I’ll get your tickets started, and then Reva and Richard will return as your servers. As always, I’ve saved the pin of JW Lees Vintage Harvest Ale (Lagavulin Scotch barrel aged; 2005) for tapping on Saturday to fuel the visiting Buckeyes.

March 15-18: First and second rounds of the 2007 NCAA basketball tournament.In honor of our those customers who’ve yet to graduate to the superior brand of roundball played in the NBA, we’ve actually invested in (gasp) a flat screen television for installation at Sportstime Pizza. The Public House shall remain pristine, however.

Saturday, March 17: St. Patrick’s Day.Wearing of the green is one thing, but drinking it is something else entirely, and not at all explicable. Ingesting green-tinted swill is tantamount to wearing a badge that reads, “I’m neither Irish nor particularly bright – scoff at me.” If you’ve ever actually been to Ireland, you know that the accepted colors of Irish beer are black, red and gold, and in our traditionally minimalist fashion, we’ll be offering one keg of each (two Gravity Head listed selections, and one not) while shunning other, more egregious forms of Hibernian revelry.

March 30, 31 & April 2: Final Four and Championship of NCAA basketball.

Saturday, April 7: FOSSILS and NABC Welcome BarrelHouse Brewing.Formerly a brewpub in the Over-the-Rhine district, now reinvented as a microbrewery, BarrelHouse has survived Cincy’s considerable micro-vicissitudes. FOSSILS will be meeting in Prost with BarrelHouse as special guests, and after the meeting, everyone’s invited to join in to sample BH’s lineup, especially the Gravity Head-listed BarrelHouse Belgian Style Winter Ale.

Rochefort 10 – one of my all-time faves – is an unfortunate "scratch," as my Indiana wholesaler and dinner co-sponsor World Class Beverages hasn't received any for quite some weeks, and in fact has recently been informed that "maybe" 10-15 cases (12 to a pack) are coming for the entire state of Indiana to last the next three months.

I'll be substituting the same brewery's 8, which is the second best beer at a brewery that makes one of the best beers (the absent 10) in the world. Note that there’s no shortage of the 8. However, if it ever approaches the top of the charts at Rate Beer and Beer Advocate, all bets are off.

Given the demand that such notoriety generates for beers that are produced at such small quantity levels, it’s a shame that with occasional laudable exceptions (see: Three Floyds), beer and wine operate under very different consumer value systems, i.e., it is far more difficult for a beer producer to permit the market to adjust pricing, and be willing to pay the piper, than for a wine producer.

Are you seeking a worldwide top-ten wine selection? The bottle might cost hundreds of dollars, and wine drinkers and collectors are quite accustomed to paying for the quality accrued.

Are you looking for Westvleteren 12, the savory Belgian Trappist ale from West Flanders, which currently is at or near the top of the on-line rating? It’s still only a few Euros in Belgium – if you can get it.

Obviously, Trappist brewers aren’t supposed to be in it for the money, but the analogy holds. By and large, the perception of beer’s value for both brewer and consumer is that even the best in the world should still be priced like … well, like beer, as opposed to wine.

Digressions aside, I hope to see many readers at Monday’s dinner. Just don’t mention King Leopold, and you should be okay.

Thursday, March 01, 2007

While strolling through the Belgian hop capital of Poperinge, I snapped a few exterior shots of the town’s “locals” – the places where neighborhood regulars gather, the majority of whom can be spotted drinking Stella or Jupiler or Maes while having a smoke, watching a match, and chatting up their friends.

It was early in the morning, which accounts for the shuttered appearance of more than one.

It’s worth remembering that while “real” beer in Belgium remains a source of wonder, and increasing numbers of foreigners make the pilgrimage to Belgium in search of the obscure, interesting and delightful -- and average folks there certainly have a better rudimentary knowledge of beer styles and intents than their counterparts in metropolitan Louisville -- most of them drink Stella, Jupiler, Maes or another of many watery “pils” lagers on a daily basis.

The difference, perhaps, is that even if the cafes pictured here wouldn’t be the enthusiast’s first choice, there’s something inside, probably bottled, that would suffice for time spent waiting for a bus or the rain to stop falling. A Duvel would do fine, thanks.